What animal caused a traffic jam? A New Mexico woman got arrested for threatening whom? What new facility opened its doors in the South Valley? And who do detectives say is responsible for a gruesome murder?

Maria Cristina Lopez says a myth hangs over the state that New Mexicans and immigrants from south of the border don't get along. The media, politicians and school officials spread the nasty stereotype, according to Lopez.

Though the bill looked to be gray-faced and stiff, Sen. Bernadette Sanchez cast her vote in favor of New Mexico's domestic partnership legislation Monday, Feb. 16. (A couple weeks ago, she failed to break a 5-5 tie in the Senate Judiciary Committee on the matter because she had to take a call.) A bill that would give unwed gay and straight couples some of the same rights as married couples will go before the full Senate for a vote sometime this week.

Dateline: India—In an attempt to make India more Indian, an activist group is developing a soft drink made from cow urine. India’s Hindu nationalist movement, the Cow Protection Department of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), says the carbonated drink is in the final stages of development. The Times of India reports head of the department Om Prakash as saying the drink was undergoing laboratory tests and would be launched “very soon, maybe by the end of this year.” Prakash told The Times that the drink would be very healthy and devoid of toxins. “Don’t worry,” Prakash was quoted as saying. “It won’t smell like urine and will be tasty, too.” The drink, known as “gau jal” or “cow water,” is the RSS’ latest attempt to cleanse India of foreign influence and to promote its ideology of Hindutva, or Hindu-ness.

In regard to the Feb. 12-18 edition of El Machete [Re: Toons, Eric Garcia], it very much disturbs me to see a one-legged Native American being asked to jump through the flaming hoops of bureaucracy when Native Americans already have free health care, as they should. But even more disturbing is the white Uncle Sam holding the fiery hoop, when in fact it should be Obama. C'mon, Machete, get it right!